● Lincoln Hall (Lincoln Park) - Owners of Schubas Tavern go all out, and all in, for Chicago's newest live music club.
● Bar Novo (The Loop) - Luxe cocktails at luxe prices. Renaissance Hotel's typically plush bar with bites.

● Bardot Speakeasy (Wynwood/Design Dist.) - Undercover, modern-day speakeasy in the DD.
● Talavera (Coral Gables) - Classy Mexican spot for the Gables crowd.

● Wonderland (Hollywood) - Alice in Wonderland theme lounge in Cahuenga Corridor with a retractable roof.
● Thyme Cafe (Santa Monica) - Famous caterer makes sandwiches for the foodie masses.
● Casa Linda (Venice) - Snazzy, New Mexican on Abbot Kinney reaches old roots. Plates large and small for active beach-goers needing a huge refueling and people who melt in the heat.

● The Vanderbilt (Prospect Heights) - Saul Bolton puts his Michelin-starred stamp on another BK nabe.

● Casa Lever (Midtown East) - Italianified Lever House still packing plenty of pomo glitz.
● Brinkley's (Nolita) - Gastropub heir to Bar Martignetti is more Christie than David.

● Carnival (Greenwich Village) - NYC's answer to Circus Circus.
● Bill's Bar & Burger (Meatpacking District) - Roadhouse comfort and a great burger. Viva la recession.
● Robataya NY(East Village) - Add robataya paddles to the ever-lengthening list of East Village Japanese thrills.

● Rockwell (Los Feliz) - Between Vermont restaurant and an alley, there's this grown up treehouse of a bar. Lots of wood and leather. Room for dancing (and a DJ), but more of a hangout/have a conversation type of place. Small plates and medium plates with flatbreads and tacos. Rare beers and specialty cocktails for the thirsty.
● Marche (San Fernando Valley) - Re-invention of a neighborhood favorite, brought up to trendy speed with small plates and duck rillettes. Patio dining on a strip of Ventura that somehow feels homey. Lots of beer, lots of cocktails. A menu for exploring. Try a pickled peach! Then perhaps some squash with garlic confit, or potted prawns, or grilled octopus.
● The Blue Dog (San Fernando Valley) - Huge space that looks unfinished, but no, it's meant to be that way. Food that doesn't mess around: sure, there's vegan chili, but the shrimp cocktail comes deep-fried. Big beer selection. Delirium Tremens is old hat. Check out some Green Flash or Brother Thelonious. Kick back with it, this place was made for that.

● Mi-6 (West Hollywood): Sam Nazarian's next hotspot. Massive: two stories, two different dance parties. Ever-changing lighting scheme promises to be mind-blowing, as do the gorgeous waitresses with hott tattoos and soft-core porn films projected onto the second-story ceiling. Expect lines around the block for the next two years.

● The Gibson (U Street) - Vintage gin + dry vermouth + pearl onion in a chilled glass (of a speakeasy-trend bar).
● Midtown Loft (Dupont Circle) - Luxe, playful rec room vibe meets sleek bobo-themed bar in a "dream apartment" setting.
● H Street Country Club (H Street NE) - Amusing amusement park inside a townhouse bar inside a DC slum.

● Boom Boom Room (Meatpacking District) - Billyburg legend crosses the river, keeps the focus on quality pies.
● Motorino East Village (East Village) - Billyburg legend crosses the river, keeps the focus on quality pies.
● Simyone (Meatpacking District) - Eugene Remm's grandpa gets his shout out with exclusive SL.